THA blanks kids’ mas craft

AN executive member of the National Carnival Bands Association (NCBA) Tobago Region has claimed that despite the group’s repeated efforts, the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) refused to give financial assistance to a children’s mas craft development programme. Operations Manager Jemma Bedlow scoffed at the THA Education Division’s claims that it had no funds to meet the $48,000 sought by NCBA Tobago for the development of mas in the island’s schools. Speaking at a media briefing in Scarborough Friday, Bedlow explained that the group had organised the programme in which wire-benders and other skilled persons from Trinidad would train Tobago’s children in the art of mas costume making and related subjects. She said Geraldo Viera and others eventually conducted a mini-seminar/workshop for several youngsters with no help from the THA.

Chairman of NCBA Tobago, Wilma Bedlow lamented that while the other Caribbean islands were benefitting from the expertise of Trinidad bandleaders and skilled mas craftsmen, Tobago, where the need was critical, was not.  “We need bandleaders from Trinidad, the skilled people, to come up here,” Wilma stressed. Wilma noted that NCBA Tobago had previously organised such training in the island several years ago and it had been a success. “This year I was looking to see if I could have gotten that course, because we had a lot of things in store for the children; you know, have a little competition among themselves to see what they and doing, if you could give out little certificates,” said the NCBA Tobago Chairman. “But everytime you go (to the THA), is one thing over and over, and they sending you to this one and they sending you to that one, and is the same thing; and I am tired of it!” Wilma declared.  She stressed that there should be some sort of Fund set aside for Culture, which would cover such programmes.
Operations Manager Jemma Bedlow, who is Wilma’s daughter, explained: “We did a budget estimate and a programme, and handed it to the THA Chief Secretary as he is the man (also) in charge of Education; we handed him an estimate for the development of mas in the schools under Education, the estimate was $48,000. Mr London said he will look after it,” related Jemma, “but again he just makes promises.” Jemma added: “And Mr Geraldo Viera, along with certain wire-benders from Tobago, came to Tobago on their own expense and did a small semi-seminar —- That’s why the Carnival for 2003 was improved, with bands from Roxborough coming out for the first time, schools, John Dial, all of those small villages came out and made the carnival this year better, with the skills that the NCBA wire-benders did on their own with no help from the THA,” claimed Jemma. “They only promising!”

Jemma explained that they had subsequently been referred to the Education Division Administrator, Peter O’Neil, on the question of the assistance for the programme. “I myself went, and my former secretary, on many occasions. He gave us the assurance to get the wire-benders up (from Trinidad); (and) on the day when the wire-benders supposed to come up, he called my office and said ‘no funding is available’”, as Jemma reported. “But they came up on their own, pay for their place to stay, bring up their own material, and had classes. And I am hoping...we have been knocking on Mr London’s door day and night for that children’s programme,” the NCBA (Tobago) Operations Manager lamented.